Computer aided systems and methods for creating custom products

Abstract

A computer-aided design system enables physical articles to be customized via printing or embroidering and enables digital content to be customized and electronically shared. A user interface may be generated that includes an image of a model of an article of manufacture and user customizable design areas that are graphically indicated on the image corresponding to the model. A design area selection may be received. In response to an add design element instruction and design element specification, the specified design element is rendered in the selected design area on the model image. Customization permissions associated with the selected design area are accessed. User edits to the design element may be received and rendered in real time. Manufacturing instructions may be transmitted to a printing system using a file that includes location, rotation, and/or scale data.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer implemented method of customizing an article of clothing having at least two sides, the method comprising:
 enabling a first user to define a template for customization of at least one garment, via a template definition interface, including a plurality of design elements comprising one or more images and/or one or more items of text at respective positions; 
 enabling the first user to inhibit modification of one or more design elements by an end user and to permit modification of one or more design elements by an end user; 
 receiving a first template defined by the first user for customization of at least one garment, the first template comprising a first image at a first location, a second image at a second location, and a first item of text at a third location; 
 providing to a computing device of a first end user, the computing device comprising a display, access to an interactive catalog comprising a plurality of different garments; 
 receiving a selection by the first end user of a first garment from the interactive catalog comprising a plurality of different garments; 
 causing an image of a first side of the first garment selected by the first end user to be rendered by the computing device of the first end user, with the first image displayed at the first location, the second image displayed at the second location, and the first item of text at the third location in accordance with the first template; 
 providing an interface rendered by the computing device of the first end user that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 receiving, from the computing device of the first end user, a selection of a first color from a specified set of text colors via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 changing, in real time, the color of the first item of text, to the color selected by the first end user from the specified set of text colors; 
 receiving via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, from the computing device of the first end user, an instruction to replace the first image with a third image provided by the first end user; 
 causing, in real time, the third image to replace the first image in the rendering on the first end user computing device display on the image of the first side of the first garment; 
 enabling, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to cause a background color in the third image to be removed; 
 enabling, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to change a size of at least one image displayed on the image of the first side of the first garment using a drag operation; 
 providing a control enabling the first end user to cause the second side of the first garment to be displayed; 
 enabling the first end user to select a garment size from a specified set of garment sizes; 
 receiving a garment size selection from the first end user; 
 enabling the first end user to select a garment color from a specified set of garment colors; 
 receiving a garment color selection from the first end user; 
 causing the first template, as modified by the first end user via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, to be rendered on the first side of the first garment with the image of the first side of the first garment in the garment color selected by the first end user; 
 generating a print file corresponding to the first template, as modified by the first end user;
 transmitting the print file over a network to a printer system to be printed on a physical instantiation of the first garment having the garment color selected by the first end user in the garment size selected by the first end user; 
 receiving from the first user a first customization rule specifying prohibited subject matter; 
 receiving, from the computing device of a given end user, an instruction to replace at least one template image with a fourth image provided by the given end user; 
 inspecting the fourth image, using a convolutional neural network, to determine if the fourth image contains subject matter that violates that first customization rule, the convolutional neural network comprising a input layer, an output layer, hidden layers between the input and output layers, and a pooling layer, wherein the convolutional neural network is configured as a feedforward network with a shared-weights architecture and with translation invariance characteristics; and 
 at least partly in response to determining, using the convolutional neural network, that the fourth image contains subject matter that violates the first customization rule, generating a corresponding notification to the given end user and inhibiting the printing and/or visualization of the fourth image on at least one item. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method as defined in  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 providing a user interface that enables an exception condition to be specified, wherein a first given content item may be used by a given end user to customize a given item independently from a second given content item, and the second given content item may be used by the given end user to customize the given item independently from the first given content item, but wherein the first given content item and the second given content item are inhibited from being used together to customize the given item. 
 
     
     
       3. The method as defined in  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 providing for display a user interface configured to enable a user to specify a plurality of types of prohibited content, including at least adult content and violent content; 
 receiving, from the computing device of a given end user, an instruction to add at least one image to a given template; 
 inspecting the at least one image, using a learning engine, to determine if the at least one image contains the at least one type of prohibited content; 
 at least partly in response to determining, using the learning engine, that the at least one image contains the at least one type of prohibited content, generating a corresponding notification to the given user and inhibiting the printing and/or visualization of the at least one image on at least one item. 
 
     
     
       4. The method as defined in  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 enabling the first user to associate different collections of design elements to different design areas of a second template; 
 receiving a second template defined by the first user for customization of at least one garment, the second template comprising a fourth image at a first location of the second template, and a fifth image at a second location of the second template; 
 receiving an association of a first collection of design elements with the first location of the second template from the first user; 
 receiving an association of a second collection of design elements with the second location of the second template from the first user; 
 receiving an indication from the first user enabling end users to replace the fourth image with an end user-selected design element from the first collection of design elements; 
 receiving an indication from the first user enabling end users to replace the fifth image with an end user-selected design element from the second collection of design elements; 
 providing to a computing device of a second end user access to the interactive catalog comprising a plurality of different garments; 
 receiving a selection by the second end user of a second garment from the interactive catalog comprising a plurality of different garments; 
 causing an image of a first side of the second garment selected by the second end user to be rendered by the computing device of the second end user, with the fourth image displayed at the first location of the second template and the fifth image displayed at the second location of the second template, in accordance with the second template; 
 providing an interface configured to be rendered by the computing device of the second end user that enables the second end user to modify the second template; 
 receiving via the interface that enables the second end user to modify the second template, from the computing device of the second end user, an instruction to replace the fourth image with an image selected by the second end user from the first collection of design elements associated with the first location of the second template; 
 causing, in real time, the image selected by the second end user from the first collection of design elements associated with the first location of the second template to replace the fourth image in the rendering on the second end user computing device display on the image of the first side of the second garment; 
 receiving via the interface that enables the second end user to modify the second template, from the computing device of the second end user, an instruction to replace the fifth image with an image selected by the second end user from the second collection of design elements associated with the second location of the second template; 
 causing, in real time, the image selected by the second end user from the second collection of design elements associated with the second location to replace the fifth image in the rendering on the second user computing device display on the image of the first side of the second garment; 
 generating a print file corresponding to the second template, as modified by the second end user; and 
 transmitting the print file corresponding to the second template, as modified by the second end user to a given printer system to be printed on a physical instantiation of the second garment. 
 
     
     
       5. The method as defined in  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 identifying a popularity of images used to customize items; and 
 sorting a set of images using the identified popularity; 
 providing an end user with access to the set of images sorted using the identified popularity; and 
 enabling the end user to select at least one image from the set of sorted images; and 
 using the selected image from the set of sorted images to customize at least one item. 
 
     
     
       6. The method as defined in  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 determining placement of content items by a plurality of end users with respect to at least a first product type; 
 identifying a popularity of a plurality of the locations of the first product type with respect to placement of the content items; and 
 generating a map that provides a visualization of the popularity of the plurality of the locations of the first product type with respect to placement of the content items. 
 
     
     
       7. The method as defined in  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 determining how many times corresponding combinations of content items were used to customize products; 
 ranking at least a portion of the combinations of content items; 
 filtering out those combinations of content items whose usage in customizing products fail to satisfy a first threshold; and 
 causing a user interface to be rendered displaying at least a portion of those combinations of content items whose usage in customizing products satisfy the first threshold. 
 
     
     
       8. The method as defined in  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 causing an image associated with an expiration time to be displayed via a device of an end user, the image selectable by the end user to customize item; and 
 causing expiration timing information to be presented by the end user device in association with the image. 
 
     
     
       9. The method as defined in  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 providing a user interface enabling a user to specify whether a given content item is removable by a given end user; 
 providing a user interface enabling a user to specify whether a given content item is resizable by a given end user; 
 providing a user interface enabling a user to drag a given content item to a desired location on an image of a given item; and providing a user interface enabling a user to remove the background of at least one image. 
 
     
     
       10. A computer implemented method of customizing an article of clothing having at least two sides, the method comprising:
 enabling a first user to define a template for customization of at least one garment, via a template definition interface, including a plurality of design elements comprising one or more images and/or one or more items of text at respective positions; 
 enabling the first user to inhibit modification of one or more design elements by an end user and to permit modification of one or more design elements by an end user; 
 receiving a first template defined by the first user for customization of at least one garment, the first template comprising a first image at a first location, a second image at a second location, and a first item of text at a third location; 
 providing to a computing device of a first end user, the computing device comprising a display, access to an interactive catalog comprising a plurality of different garments; 
 receiving a selection by the first end user of a first garment from the interactive catalog comprising a plurality of different garments; 
 causing an image of a first side of the first garment selected by the first end user to be rendered by the computing device of the first end user, with the first image displayed at the first location, the second image displayed at the second location, and the first item of text at the third location in accordance with the first template; 
 providing an interface rendered by the computing device of the first end user that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 receiving, from the computing device of the first end user, a selection of a first color from a specified set of text colors via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 changing, in real time, the color of the first item of text, to the color selected by the first end user from the specified set of text colors; 
 receiving via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, from the computing device of the first end user, an instruction to replace the first image with a third image provided by the first end user; 
 causing, in real time, the third image to replace the first image in the rendering on the first end user computing device display on the image of the first side of the first garment; 
 enabling, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to cause a color of at least a portion of at least one image to be removed; 
 enabling, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to change a size of at least one image displayed on the image of the first side of the first garment using a drag operation; 
 providing a control enabling the first end user to cause the second side of the first garment to be displayed; 
 enabling the first end user to select a garment size from a specified set of garment sizes; 
 receiving a garment size selection from the first end user; 
 enabling the first end user to select a garment color from a specified set of garment colors; 
 receiving a garment color selection from the first end user; 
 causing the first template, as modified by the first end user via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, to be rendered on the first side of the first garment with the image of the first side of the first garment in the garment color selected by the first end user; 
 generating a print file corresponding to the first template, as modified by the first end user; and 
 transmitting the print file to a printer system to be printed on a physical instantiation of the first garment having the garment color selected by the first end user in the garment size selected by the first end user; 
 providing a swap enable control configured to enable the first user to specify, for a given design area, whether a corresponding content item in the given design area is permitted to be swapped by an end user with a different content item or whether the end user is prohibited from swapping the corresponding item with the different content item; and 
 in response to determining that the swap control for a given design area is set to prohibit the end user from swapping the corresponding content item in the given design area, inhibiting the end user from swapping the corresponding content item in the given design area. 
 
     
     
       11. A system, comprising:
 a computing device; a network interface; 
 non-transitory computer readable memory having program instructions stored thereon that when executed by the computing device cause the computing device to: 
 enable a first user to define a template for customization of at least one garment, via a template definition interface, including a plurality of design elements comprising one or more images and/or one or more items of text at respective positions; 
 receive, via the network interface, a definition of a first template from the first user, the first template comprising at least a first image at a first location; 
 provide to a computing device of a first end user, the computing device comprising a display, access to an image of a first garment from an interactive catalog; 
 cause an image of a first side of the first garment to be rendered by the computing device of the first end user, with the first image displayed at the first location in accordance with the first template; 
 provide an interface rendered by the computing device of the first end user that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, to modify at a first item of template text; 
 receive, from the computing device of the first end user, a selection of a first color from a specified set of text colors via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 change the color of the first item of template text, to the color selected by the first end user from the specified set of text colors; 
 receive via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, from the computing device of the first end user, an instruction to add a second image provided by the first end user to the template; 
 cause the image of a first side of the first garment to be rendered by the computing device of the first end user, with the second image displayed at a second location specified by the first end user; 
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to cause a background color of second image to be removed;
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to change a size of at least one image displayed on the image of the first side of the first garment using a drag operation; 
 provide a control enabling the first end user to cause the second side of the first garment to be displayed; 
 enable the first end user to select a garment size from a specified set of garment sizes; 
 receive a garment size selection from the first end user; 
 generate a print file corresponding to the first template, as modified by the first end user; 
 transmit the print file over a network to a printer system to be printed on a physical instantiation of the first garment in the garment size selected by the first end user; 
 receive from the first user a first customization rule specifying prohibited subject matter; 
 receive, from the computing device of a given end user, an instruction to replace at least one template image with a third image provided by the given end user; 
 inspecting the third image, using a convolutional neural network, to determine if the third image contains subject matter that violates that first customization rule, the convolutional neural network comprising a input layer, an output layer, hidden layers between the input and output layers, wherein the convolutional neural network is configured as a feedforward network with a shared-weights architecture and with translation invariance characteristics; and 
 at least partly in response to determining, using the convolutional neural network, that the third image contains subject matter that violates the first customization rule, generate a corresponding notification to the given end use. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system as defined in  claim 11 , the operations further comprising:
 provide a user interface that enables an exception condition to be specified, wherein a first given content item may be used by a given end user to customize a given item independently from a second given content item, and the second given content item may be used by the given end user to customize the given item independently from the first given content item, but wherein the first given content item and the second given content item are inhibited from being used together to customize the given item. 
 
     
     
       13. The system as defined in  claim 11 , the operations further comprising:
 provide for display a user interface configured to enable a user to specify a plurality of types of prohibited content, including at least adult content and/or violent content; 
 receive, from the computing device of a given user, an instruction to add at least one image to a given template; 
 inspect the at least one image, using a learning engine, to determine if the at least one image contains the at least one type of prohibited content; 
 at least partly in response to determining, using the learning engine, that the at least one image contains the at least one type of prohibited content, generate a corresponding notification to the given user and inhibiting the printing and/or visualization of the at least one image on at least one item. 
 
     
     
       14. The system as defined in  claim 11 , the operations further comprising:
 enable the first user to associate different collections of design elements to different design areas of a second template; 
 receive a definition of a second template from the first user for customization of at least one garment, the second template comprising a third image at a first location of the second template, and a fourth image at a second location of the second template; 
 receive an association of a first collection of design elements with the first location of the second template from the first user; 
 receive an association of a second collection of design elements with the second location of the second template from the first user; 
 receive a selection by the second end user of a second garment; 
 cause an image of a first side of the second garment selected by the second end user to be rendered by the computing device of the second end user, with the third image displayed at the first location of the second template and the fourth image displayed at the second location of the second template, in accordance with the second template; 
 provide an interface rendered by the computing device of the second end user that enables the second end user to modify the second template; 
 receive via the interface that enables the second end user to modify the second template, from the computing device of the second end user, an instruction to replace the third image with an image selected by the second end user from the first collection of design elements associated with the first location of the second template; 
 cause the image selected by the second end user from the first collection of design elements associated with the first location of the second template to replace the third image in the rendering on the second end user computing device display on the image of the first side of the second garment; 
 receive via the interface that enables the second end user to modify the second template, from the computing device of the second end user, an instruction to replace the fourth image with an image selected by the second end user from the second collection of design elements associated with the second location; 
 cause the image selected by the second end user from the second collection of design elements associated with the second location to replace the fourth image in the rendering on the second user computing device display on the image of the first side of the second garment; 
 generate a print file corresponding to the second template, as modified by the second end user; and 
 transmit the print file corresponding to the second template, as modified by the second end user to a given printer system to be printed on a physical instantiation of the second garment. 
 
     
     
       15. The system as defined in  claim 11 , the operations further comprising:
 identify a popularity of images used to customize items; and 
 sort a set of images using the identified popularity; 
 provide an end user with access to the set of images sorted using the identified popularity; and 
 enable the end user to select at least one image from the set of sorted images; and 
 use the selected image from the set of sorted images to customize at least one item. 
 
     
     
       16. The system as defined in  claim 11 , the operations further comprising:
 determine placement of content items by a plurality of end users with respect to at least a first product type; 
 identify a popularity of a plurality of the locations of the first product type with respect to placement of the content items; and 
 generate a map that provides a visualization of the popularity of the plurality of the locations of the first product type with respect to placement of the content items. 
 
     
     
       17. The system as defined in  claim 11 , the operations further comprising:
 determining how many times corresponding combinations of content items were used to customize products; 
 rank at least a portion of the combinations of content items; 
 filter out those combinations of content items whose usage in customizing products fail to satisfy a first threshold; and 
 cause a user interface to be rendered displaying at least a portion of those combinations of content items whose usage in customizing products satisfy the first threshold. 
 
     
     
       18. The system as defined in  claim 11 , the operations further comprising:
 cause an image associated with an expiration time to be displayed via a device of an end user, the image selectable by the end user to customize item; and 
 cause expiration timing information to be presented by the end user device in association with the image. 
 
     
     
       19. The system as defined in  claim 11 , the operations further comprising:
 provide a user interface enabling a user to specify whether a given content item is removable by a given end user; 
 provide a user interface enabling a user to specify whether a given content item is resizable by a given end user; 
 provide a user interface enabling a user to drag a given content item to a desired location on an image of a given item; and 
 provide a user interface enabling a user to remove the background of at least one image. 
 
     
     
       20. A system, comprising: a computing device; a network interface;
 non-transitory computer readable memory having program instructions stored thereon that when executed by the computing device cause the computing device to: 
 enable a first user to define a template for customization of at least one garment, via a template definition interface, including a plurality of design elements comprising one or more images and/or one or more items of text at respective positions; 
 receive, via the network interface, a definition of a first template from the first user, the first template comprising at least a first image at a first location; 
 provide to a computing device of a first end user, the computing device comprising a display, access to an image of a first garment from an interactive catalog; 
 cause an image of a first side of the first garment to be rendered by the computing device of the first end user, with the first image displayed at the first location in accordance with the first template; 
 provide an interface rendered by the computing device of the first end user that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, to modify at a first item of template text; 
 receive, from the computing device of the first end user, a selection of a first color from a specified set of text colors via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 change the color of the first item of template text, to the color selected by the first end user from the specified set of text colors; 
 receive via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, from the computing device of the first end user, an instruction to replace the first image with a second image provided by the first end user; 
 cause the second image to replace the first image on the first end user computing device display on the image of the first side of the first garment; 
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to cause a color of at least a portion of at least one image to be removed; 
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to change a size of at least one image displayed on the image of the first side of the first garment using a drag operation; 
 provide a control enabling the first end user to cause the second side of the first garment to be displayed; 
 enable the first end user to select a garment size from a specified set of garment sizes; 
 receive a garment size selection from the first end user; 
 generate a print file corresponding to the first template, as modified by the first end user; and 
 transmit the print file to a printer system to be printed on a physical instantiation of the first garment in the garment size selected by the first end user; 
 provide a swap enable control configured to enable the first user to specify, for a given design area, whether a corresponding content item in the given design area is permitted to be swapped by an end user with a different content item or whether the end user is prohibited from swapping the corresponding item with the different content item; and 
 in response to determining that the swap control for a given design area is set to prohibit the end user from swapping the corresponding content item in the given design area, inhibiting the end user from swapping the corresponding content item in the given design area. 
 
     
     
       21. Non-transitory computer readable memory having program instructions stored thereon that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 enable a first user to define a template for customization of at least one item, via a template definition interface, including a plurality of design elements comprising one or more images and/or one or more items of text at respective positions; 
 receive a definition of a first template from the first user, the first template comprising at least a first image at a first location; 
 provide to a computing device of a first end user, the computing device comprising a display, access to an image of a first item from an interactive catalog; 
 cause an image of a first side of the first item to be rendered by the computing device of the first end user, with the first image displayed at the first location in accordance with the first template; 
 provide an interface rendered by the computing device of the first end user that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, to modify at a first item of template text; 
 receive, from the computing device of the first end user, a selection of a first color from a specified set of text colors via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 change the color of the first item of template text, to the color selected by the first end user from the specified set of text colors; 
 receive via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, from the computing device of the first end user, an instruction to add a second image provided by the first end user to the template; 
 cause the image of a first side of the first item to be rendered by the computing device of the first end user, with the second image displayed at a second location specified by the first end user; 
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to cause a background color of second image to be removed; 
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to change a size of at least one image displayed on the image of the first side of the first item using a drag operation; 
 provide a control enabling the first end user to cause the second side of the first item to be displayed; 
 enable the first end user to select a item size from a specified set of item sizes; 
 receive a item size selection from the first end user; 
 generate a print file corresponding to the first template, as modified by the first end user; and 
 transmit the print file to a printer system to be printed on a physical instantiation of the first item in the item size selected by the first end user; 
 receive from the first user a first customization rule specifying prohibited subject matter: 
 receive, from the computing device of a given end user, an instruction to replace at least one template image with a third image provided by the given end user; 
 inspecting the third image, using a convolutional neural network, to determine if the third image contains subject matter that violates that first customization rule, wherein the convolutional neural network is configured as a feedforward network with a shared-weights architecture and with translation invariance characteristics; 
 at least partly in response to determining, using the convolutional neural network, that the third image contains subject matter that violates the first customization rule, generate a corresponding notification to the given end use. 
 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory computer readable memory as defined in  claim 21 , the operations further comprising:
 provide a user interface that enables an exception condition to be specified, wherein a first given content item may be used by a given end user to customize a given item independently from a second given content item, and the second given content item may be used by the given end user to customize the given item independently from the first given content item, but wherein the first given content item and the second given content item are inhibited from being used together to customize the given item. 
 
     
     
       23. The non-transitory computer readable memory as defined in  claim 21 , the operations further comprising:
 provide for display a user interface configured to enable a user to specify a plurality of types of prohibited content, including at least adult content and/or violent content; 
 receive, from the computing device of a given user, an instruction to add at least one image to a given template; 
 inspect the at least one image, using a learning engine, to determine if the at least one image contains the at least one type of prohibited content; 
 at least partly in response to determining, using the learning engine, that the at least one image contains the at least one type of prohibited content, generate a corresponding notification to the given user and inhibiting the printing and/or visualization of the at least one image on at least one item. 
 
     
     
       24. The non-transitory computer readable memory as defined in  claim 21 , the operations further comprising:
 enable the first user to associate different collections of design elements to different design areas of a second template; 
 receive a definition of a second template from the first user for customization of at least one item, the second template comprising a third image at a first location of the second template, and a fourth image at a second location of the second template; 
 receive an association of a first collection of design elements with the first location of the second template from the first user; 
 receive an association of a second collection of design elements with the second location of the second template from the first user; 
 receive a selection by the second end user of a second item; 
 cause an image of a first side of the second item selected by the second end user to be rendered by the computing device of the second end user, with the third image displayed at the first location of the second template and the fourth image displayed at the second location of the second template, in accordance with the second template; 
 provide an interface rendered by the computing device of the second end user that enables the second end user to modify the second template; 
 receive via the interface that enables the second end user to modify the second template, from the computing device of the second end user, an instruction to replace the third image with an image selected by the second end user from the first collection of design elements associated with the first location of the second template; 
 cause the image selected by the second end user from the first collection of design elements associated with the first location of the second template to replace the third image in the rendering on the second end user computing device display on the image of the first side of the second item; 
 receive via the interface that enables the second end user to modify the second template, from the computing device of the second end user, an instruction to replace the fourth image with an image selected by the second end user from the second collection of design elements associated with the second location; 
 cause the image selected by the second end user from the second collection of design elements associated with the second location to replace the fourth image in the rendering on the second user computing device display on the image of the first side of the second item; 
 generate a print file corresponding to the second template, as modified by the second end user; and 
 transmit the print file corresponding to the second template, as modified by the second end user to a given printer system to be printed on a physical instantiation of the second item. 
 
     
     
       25. The non-transitory computer readable memory as defined in  claim 21 , the operations further comprising:
 identify a popularity of images used to customize items; and 
 sort a set of images using the identified popularity; 
 provide an end user with access to the set of images sorted using the identified popularity; and 
 enable the end user to select at least one image from the set of sorted images; and 
 use the selected image from the set of sorted images to customize at least one item. 
 
     
     
       26. The non-transitory computer readable memory as defined in  claim 21 , the operations further comprising:
 determine placement of content items by a plurality of end users with respect to at least a first product type; 
 identify a popularity of a plurality of the locations of the first product type with respect to placement of the content items; and 
 generate a map that provides a visualization of the popularity of the plurality of the locations of the first product type with respect to placement of the content items. 
 
     
     
       27. The non-transitory computer readable memory as defined in  claim 21 , the operations further comprising:
 determining how many times corresponding combinations of content items were used to customize products; 
 rank at least a portion of the combinations of content items; 
 filter out those combinations of content items whose usage in customizing products fail to satisfy a first threshold; and 
 cause a user interface to be rendered displaying at least a portion of those combinations of content items whose usage in customizing products satisfy the first threshold. 
 
     
     
       28. The non-transitory computer readable memory as defined in  claim 21 , the operations further comprising:
 cause an image associated with an expiration time to be displayed via a device of an end user, the image selectable by the end user to customize item; and 
 cause expiration timing information to be presented by the end user device in association with the image. 
 
     
     
       29. The non-transitory computer readable memory as defined in  claim 21 , the operations further comprising:
 provide a user interface enabling a user to specify whether a given content item is removable by a given end user; 
 provide a user interface enabling a user to specify whether a given content item is resizable by a given end user; 
 provide a user interface enabling a user to drag a given content item to a desired location on an image of a given item; and 
 provide a user interface enabling a user to remove the background of at least one image. 
 
     
     
       30. Non-transitory computer readable memory having program instructions stored thereon that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 enable a first user to define a template for customization of at least one item, via a template definition interface, including a plurality of design elements comprising one or more images and/or one or more items of text at respective positions; 
 receive, via a network interface, a definition of a first template from the first user, the first template comprising at least a first image at a first location; 
 provide to a computing device of a first end user, the computing device comprising a display, access to an image of a first item from an interactive catalog; 
 cause an image of a first side of the first item to be rendered by the computing device of the first end user, with the first image displayed at the first location in accordance with the first template; 
 provide an interface rendered by the computing device of the first end user that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, to modify at a first item of template text; 
 receive, from the computing device of the first end user, a selection of a first color from a specified set of text colors via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template; 
 change the color of the first item of template text, to the color selected by the first end user from the specified set of text colors; 
 receive via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, from the computing device of the first end user, an instruction to replace the first image with a second image provided by the first end user; 
 cause the second image to replace the first image on the first end user computing device display on the image of the first side of the first item; 
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to cause a color of at least a portion of at least one image to be removed; 
 enable, via the interface that enables the first end user to modify the template, the first end user to change a size of at least one image displayed on the image of the first side of the first item using a drag operation; 
 provide a control enabling the first end user to cause the second side of the first item to be displayed; 
 enable the first end user to select a item size from a specified set of item sizes; 
 receive a item size selection from the first end user; 
 generate a print file corresponding to the first template, as modified by the first end user; and 
 transmit the print file to a printer system to be printed on a physical instantiation of the first item in the item size selected by the first end user; 
 provide a swap enable control configured to enable the first user to specify, for a given design area, whether a corresponding content item in the given design area is permitted to be swapped by an end user with a different content item or whether the end user is prohibited from swapping the corresponding item with the different content item; and 
 in response to determining that the swap control for a given design area is set to prohibit the end user from swapping the corresponding content item in the given design area, inhibiting the end user from swapping the corresponding content item in the given design area.